U13s bounce back with emphatic win Share
Malone 5 BANBRIDGE U13s 26November 6, 2010
Banbridge U-13s went into this game looking like a wounded tiger after their last outing against Portadown two weeks previously. Bann welcomed Corbett back into the fray after a year's absence from the action. After a half on the wing and a half at lock he showed in no uncertain terms what his natural position is. Training continues on Wednesday nights from 7pm. All 1998 birthdays welcome.
From the Malone kick-off Bann started off the stronger. The forwards immediately showed their intent by running at the Malone pack to test their defence. After several phases of play Bann quickly found themselves in the Malone "22". Josh Chambers took the ball from the base of a ruck and showed great determination and power to crash over the line from 10 metres carrying three Malone tacklers with him. Ben Thompson converted.
From the Malone re-start Dubem Ajeh caught the drop-kick and showed the opposition his strength by shrugging of several attempted tacklers before being bundled into touch by the Malone full back. Bann won the opposition line out and Matthew Blaine carried the ball into the Malone "22", off-loading to the impressive Ajeh who side-footed his opposite number to score Bann's second try, with Thompson's conversion again hitting the mark.
The second half saw Alexander Cousins come into second row and Matthew McClelland line out on the wing. The Bann drop kick saw the forwards put pressure on the Malone pack and they were rewarded when the home centre knocked on. From the scrum No 8 William Cousins picked up and went blind to force a line out. The ever impressive Sheldon Savage took the ball short at the line out and after making the hard yards on his own was able to off load to Alexander Cousins who beat his opposite number to score in the corner. The conversion was missed.
Bann were now on a roll being 19 points up without reply. They went on the attack again but a loose pass saw the ball go to the speedy Malone fly half. He linked with his threequarters and the winger looked home and dry. Thompson made good ground to put in a try-saving tackle but Malone recycled before the defence could re-organise and the scrum half was able to score in the corner. The try went unconverted.
Now realising Bann were vulnerable on the retreat, Malone knew they would have to run everything to get anything out of this game. With the centre pairing of Ajeh and Charlie Jones pressurising the Malone midfield with a blitz defence Ajeh's big hit drew a gasp from the crowd. Jones picked up the loose ball and skilfully danced his way through the covering defence to score under the posts. Thompson converted.
Bann were now oozing confidence with scrum half Max Buller pulling the strings and working on training ground routines. He was looking for the pack making the hard yards through runners off the base of the rucks. Chambers, Toby Baxter, Savage, Cousins and Angus Corbett duly obliged. With a ruck formed five metres from the Malone line and Bann looking good to score again the full time whistle sounded.
This was a great performance from the boys who after a bizarre day in Portadown two weeks ago bounced back in a perfect way.
This was a superb performance by the whole team who on the strength of this performance should fear no opposition. Pick of the pack were Chambers, Savage, William Cousins and Baxter with Corbett in his time at lock showing what a great ball carrier he is.
In the backs Buller and Thompson's hard work at training is really paying off. The partnership between Jones, Ajeh and out-half Thompson will pose problems for any midfield defence.
By a unanimous decision man-of-the-match goes to Ajeh for his ferocious tackling and unstoppable running capped of with one great try and two assists.